Conventional scanners process packages by reading and decoding information affixed to the packages. In some instances, the information is read and decoded as the packages move along a conveyor system. Typically, the scanners incorporate a light source and a light detector. In some conventional scanners, a trigger may be used to generate scan lines of which a portion of the light is reflected from the package and detected by the image detector and converted into an electrical signal, which is the basis for the object properties that include digital images of packages that have been read by the scanner. The digital image is processed and decoded according to the instructions executed by one or more computer processors of the conventional scanners or the conveyor system.
Triggers or buttons are used on conventional scanners. The conventional trigger consists of several electro-mechanical components that are utilized to generate a triggering signal. For instance, triggers are employed on bar code scanners and other scanning devices. The trigger may initiate certain functions on the conventional scanners. As explained above, the trigger may activate a light source and light detector to capture bar code information on a package. Additionally, the trigger may activate specific function on the conventional scanner (i.e., in some application the trigger may activate any form of communication).
Some conventional triggers may require a significant amount of labor to manufacture because of the number of moving parts and the configuration of the conventional trigger. For instance, the above-described trigger is typically hard-wired to the scanner and may not be removed. Additionally, the conventional trigger may require a user to assert a fixed amount of force and stroke to activate the conventional trigger. Thus, some users may have difficulty creating scan lines when attempting to process packages. Accordingly, the conventional trigger may have a limited number of life cycles due to wear on the various moving parts of the scanner.